A Georgia Baptist Institution
HOW TO FIND BUSINESS SOURCES
Research on businesses and industries can be very easy or very difficult. You may want to research a company before a job interview, as part of a class assignment, or as background for an investment in the stock market. Here, the Livingston Library staff has compiled a list of sources for business information. Please let us know if you find it helpful.
QUICKLINKS
Guides
Directories
Economic Indicators
Geographic Profiles
General Statistics
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
Biographical Sources
Business Quotations
HOW TO FIND INFORMATION ON A PUBLIC COMPANY
Directories
Financial information
Journal literature
Company News
Stock Quotes
HOW TO FIND INFORMATION ON A PRIVATE COMPANY
HOW TO FIND INFORMATION ON AN INDUSTRY
Industrial Classification Systems
Industry Profiles, Surveys, and Analysis
Journal Literature and Industry News
Industry and Trade Associations
Lists of Leading Companies
Company Comparison Tools
Financial Ratios
Market share data and other statistics
SPECIAL SOURCES FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES
HOW TO FIND JOB AND CAREER INFORMATION
GENERAL REFERENCE SOURCES
Guides
Business information: How to find it, how to use it.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 650.072 L38b
The business library and how to use it.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 027.69 B96
Understanding the census.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, R 304.60723 L39u
Directory of business information.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 650.016 R18d
Directory of business information resources.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, R 016.65 D62
Encyclopedia of business information sources.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 016.33 En1
The atlas of economic indicators.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Rome, R 330.973 C21a
Economic indicators handbook.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 330.973 Ec7
Economic statistics briefing room
From The White House
American business climate & economic profiles.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 330.973 Am3
Facts about the cities
North Atlanta, R 307.760973 C22f
LexisNexis Academic*
Click the “Business” tab and choose “Country Profiles” from the left navigation pane.
State profiles: The population and economy of each state.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Rome, R 317 St2 (Also available as an eBook.)
Business statistics of the United States.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 338 B96 (Also available as an eBook.)
Household spending: Who spends how much on what.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, R 658 H81
Housing statistics of the United States.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, R 363 H81
Statistical abstract of the United States.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 317 Un3s
Statistical handbook on consumption and wealth in the United States.
North Atlanta, R 339.410973 St2
Statistics sources.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 016.31 St2
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
Business: The key concepts.
North Atlanta, R 650.03 V59b
Dictionary of accounting terms.
North Atlanta, R 657.03 Si1d (Also available as an eBook.)
Dictionary of business.
North Atlanta, R 650.03 C69d
Dictionary of business and management.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Rome, R 330.03 R72d
Dictionary of marketing and advertising.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 659.8003 R72d
Dictionary of retailing and merchandising.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 381.103 R72d
Encyclopedia of banking and finance.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 332.103 En1 (Also available as an eBook.)
Encyclopedia of business and finance.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 650.03 En1
International dictionary of management.
North Atlanta, R 658.003 J59i
Money 101 glossary
From CNNMoney
Mutual funds glossary
From Morningstar Canada
The new Palgrave: A dictionary of economics.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 330.03 N42
The new Palgrave dictionary of money & finance.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Rome, R 332.03 N42
The Numa dictionary of derivatives acronyms
From Numa Financial Systems
African-American business leaders.
Rome, North Atlanta, R 338.64208996073 In3a
Encyclopedia of world biography in Gale Reference Resources
Online.
LexisNexis Academic*
Click the “People” tab.
Who's who in America.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 920.073 W62
Who's who in finance and industry.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 330.922 W62w
The Forbes book of business quotations.
North Atlanta, R 650 F74
The Ultimate Book of Business Quotations
North Atlanta, R 650 U18 (Also available as an eBook.)
HOW TO FIND INFORMATION ON A PUBLIC COMPANY
Verify the company's name before beginning a search. Use a business directory to make sure that you have the complete company name and its correct spelling (make sure, for example, that the company is named "Delta Air Lines" and not "Delta" or "Delta Airlines"). Business directories also provide basic information about a company, such as its name, address, and telephone number. Often, they also include financial and other information. Online directories typically refer one to the company's web site.
American business listings.
Rome, R 338.097302 Am3
Company profiles: Middle East
From AME Info
Dun's regional business directories: Georgia & Atlanta.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Rome, R 338 D92
Europages: The European business directory
Georgia business directory.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, R 338.00294758 G29
Hoover's Company Capsules & Profiles*
Hoover's Online
Not available off-campus
LexisNexis Academic*
Click the “Business” tab.
North American financial institutions directory
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 332.10257 P76
Standard & Poor's register of corporations, directors and executives.
Rome, R 332.7025 St2
ThomasNet (formerly The Thomas Register of American Manufacturers)
Find financial information for the company
Public companies in the U.S. are required by federal law and regulations to publish detailed statistics and information on a periodic basis for the benefit of their stockholders and potential investors. U.S. public companies provide annual and quarterly reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding their finances, senior officers (and their salaries and stock benefits), major business units and products, and subsidiary locations. The EDGAR Database, maintained by the SEC, offers the electronically-filed text versions of many annual reports, 10-Ks, proxies, and other SEC filings.
Hoover's Company Capsules & Profiles* , a database available through Galileo, offers condensed financial information for approximately 15,000 companies. Hoover's Online, an expanded version, contains detailed information on 40,000 firms. Additionally, financial data may be reprinted or reformatted in directories; news reports; journal articles; annual reports; company-published newsletters, magazines, or press releases; company websites; and books about the company or its major officers (you can search for books in the Shorter Library catalog, in netLibrary, or in catalogs at other libraries).
Financial Information
Business Source Complete Company Profiles*
On the top navigation bar, click “More,” then “Company Profiles.”
Hoover's Company Capsules & Profiles*
Hoover's Online
Not available off-campus
LexisNexis Academic*
Click the “Business” tab and choose “SEC Filings” from the left navigation pane.
Public Register's Annual Report Service
LOCATE PERIODICAL LITERATURE ON YOUR cOMPANY
Databases of business-related periodical articles are a particularly rich source of company information. Use the complete business name to search periodical databases.
Journal Literature
Wilson OmniFile: Full-Text Mega Edition*
LexisNexis Academic*
Click “Power Search” in the left navigation pane, then choose “U. S. Company Reports,” “U. S. Public Company Reports,” or “U. S. Private Company Reports” in the “Sources” drop-down box.
Use the following sources to find out how your target company's stock is performing.
World markets
From CNNMoney
HOW TO FIND INFORMATION ON A PRIVATE COMPANY
Many of the same sources of information for public companies can be used to research private companies as well. The sources mentioned under Journal Literature and Company News, above, contain many articles about privately-held companies.
Financial figures given for private companies in journal articles should be carefully examined for discrepancies or misleading information. Annual sales numbers, for example, may be for a recent or not-so-recent year, and you may find several different estimates of that number. Hoover's Online contains essential financial information on more than 12 million small to medium-sized companies, many of them privately held.
Search the Shorter Library catalog, in netLibrary, or in catalogs at other libraries for books on the target company or its officers. Rutgers University maintains an extensive list of information resources on private companies, including state corporation databases and internet directories.
While financial data for a public company may be relatively easy to obtain from SEC reports, the same information may be more difficult to come by when researching a private one. Privately-owned companies are not required to report financial or officer information to the public. For this reason, reports about private companies may not contain the same level of detail or accuracy as SEC-based information. Press releases issued by public companies often contain financial data, but the type of information released by a private company is determined only by the strategy and policy of that company; it may, for example, decide to distribute press releases only to announce a new product or sales promotion, or for public relations purposes.
HOW TO FIND INFORMATION ON AN INDUSTRY
First, find the correct name and classification codes for your industry. Classification codes are important because many reference books and Web sites arrange their entries by these codes. Some Galileo databases, such as Wilson Business Full Text* and Business Source Complete*, are searchable using classification codes. The two main classification systems in use today are the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code and the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). The NAICS is set to replace the SIC.
Search for the name and SIC code for your industry in OSHA's SIC Database. The Correspondence Tables listed below will let you know the NAICS code equivalent to your SIC code.
Industrial Classification Systems
NAICS desk reference.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, R 338.020127 N14
North American industrial classification system.
Rome, R 338.020127 N14
North American industrial classification system (NAICS)
From the U. S. Census Bureau
Standard industrial classification manual.
Rome, Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, R 338.020973 St2
Standard industrial classification system (SIC) search.
From the Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Correspondence tables: 1987 SIC matched to 2002 NAICS.
From the U. S. Census Bureau
Correspondence tables: 2002 NAICS matched to 1987 SIC.
From the U. S. Census Bureau
FIND BACKGROUND AND GENERAL INFORMATION ON YOUR INDUSTRY
Industry Profiles, Surveys, and Analysis
Dun & Bradstreet/Gale group industry handbooks.
Construction & agriculture.
North Atlanta, R 338.47624 D91
Entertainment & hospitality.
North Atlanta, R 338.4764794 D91
Computers & software and broadcasting & telecommunications.
North Atlanta, R 338.762139 D91
Chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
North Atlanta, R 338.766 D91
Insurance and health & medical services.
North Atlanta, R 368.0065 D91
Encyclopedia of American industries.
North Atlanta, R 338.097303 En1
Encyclopedia of emerging industries.
North Atlanta, R 338.003 En1
Handbook of North American industry.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 338.0021 H19
Industry outlook 2005
From BusinessWeek Online
Industry specific business guides
From the Missouri Small Business Development Centers
"These industry specific reports focus on industries where small businesses account for much of the activity."
Manufacturing USA.
Lawrenceville, R 338.47670973021 M31
Service industries USA.
North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 338.4 Se6
U.S. industry & trade outlook.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, R 338.00112 Un3
WEFA industrial monitor.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 338.544 W42
FIND ARTICLES AND NEWS REPORTS ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRY
Articles can provide in-depth analyses and descriptions of your industry. News reports can keep you abreast of current developments.
Journal Literature and Industry News
See the Journal Literature and Company News sections above.
IndustryWatch
From CNNMoney
LexisNexis Academic*
Click the “News” tab.
Business Source Complete (Business Searching Interface)*
Click “Industry Profiles” in the far-right navigation pane.
Industry and Trade Associations
Find an industry or trade association that collects and disseminates information about your industry. These associations usually make information about their industries available to the general public.
Encyclopedia of associations.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 061 G13
IndustryLink
Links to many industry associations.
Industry research desk: Industry home pages
COMPILE A LIST OF THE LEADING COMPANIES IN YOUR INDUSTRY
Business rankings annual.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, R 338.740973 B96
Market Share Reporter.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 380.105 M34
Reuter’s industry overview
A rankings list is available for companies within each industry.
Special issues list of lists
From SpecialIssues.com
Contains links to ranked listings of companies which have been published in periodicals.
COMPARE A COMPANY WITH OTHER COMPANIES (in an industry classification or with industry norms)
Knowing which companies are prominent in an industry, how they stack up against other top companies, and how these companies compete with each other for market share can give you valuable insight into the nature of a given industry.
LexisNexis Academic*
Click the “Business” tab and choose “Dossier Compare Companies” from the left navigation pane.
Almanac of business and industrial financial ratios.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 338.740973 Al6
LexisNexis Academic*
Click the “Business” tab and choose “Company Profiles” from the left navigation pane.
RMA annual statement studies.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 657.3 R53
Industry and trade associations.
Market share data and other statistics can be found in these sources.
Business statistics of the United States.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 338 B96 (Also available as an eBook.)
By the numbers: Emerging industries.
North Atlanta, R 338 B99
CRB commodity yearbook.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 338 C85
Business and Industry
From the U. S. Census Bureau
Includes economic indicators, county business patterns, current industrial reports, the latest economic census, and much more.
Industry and trade summaries.
From the United States International Trade Commission
Industry economic accounts.
From the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
Market share reporter
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 380.105 M34
Statistical abstract of the United States.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta Riverdale, Rome, R 317 Un3s
U. S. market trends & forecasts.
North Atlanta, R 338.5443 Un3
SPECIAL SOURCES FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES
Most of the sources listed in the sections above provide information on domestic corporations. Here are some special information sources for international companies.
CAROL (Company Annual Reports On-Line)
Dictionary of international trade.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 382.03 R72d
Encyclopedia of the European Union.
North Atlanta, R 341.242 En1
Encyclopedia of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 382.91703 R72e
International business information: How to find it, how to use it.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 332.1753 P14i
International Organizations: A Dictionary and Directory.
North Atlanta, R 341.2025 Sc3i
International trade sources: A research guide.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 382.016 Sc6i
International trade statistics yearbook (United Nations).
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Rome, R 382.021 In8
International yearbook of industrial statistics.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 338.0021 In8
Kiss, bow, or shake hands: How to do business in sixty countries.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 395.52 M83k
LexisNexis Academic*
Click the “Business” tab and choose “Country Profiles” from the left navigation pane.
Market research library.
From the United States Commercial Service
Statistical handbook on poverty in the developing world
North Atlanta, R 339.46 St2
Statistical yearbook (United Nations).
North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 310.9 Un3s
World tables.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 330.90021 W89
HOW TO FIND JOB AND CAREER INFORMATION
The books listed below are selections from our print and online collections; search the library catalog under the subject headings Vocational guidance, Occupations, or Career changes for more job and career books.
Books
The almanac of American employers.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, R 331.20973 P74a (Also available as an eBook.)
American salaries and wages survey.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, R 331 Am3
Career information center.
North Atlanta, R 331.702 C18
Encyclopedia of careers and vocational guidance.
Rome, R 331.702 En1
Farr, Michael. America's fastest growing jobs.
Farr, Michael. Best jobs for the 21st century.
Occupational outlook handbook.
Lawrenceville, North Atlanta, Riverdale, Rome, R 331.7 Un3o (Also available as an eBook.)
Peterson's job opportunities in business.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 331.128097305 P44
Plunkett, Jack W., ed. Plunkett's companion to the almanac of American employers: Mid-size firms, 2002-2003.
Professional careers sourcebook.
North Atlanta, Rome, R 331.128 P94
Hamdeh, H. S. Vault Reports Guide To The Top 50 MBA Employers.
Online Job Listings
Career OneStop
From the U. S. Department of Labor
ajcjobs.com
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
*Part of the Database Offerings in GALILEO, Georgia's Virtual Library.
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